Agitator



I G. MORE.

AGITATOH. APPLICATION FILED FEB- L 192].

Patented Apr. 11, '1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v r j l' In G. MORE.

AGITATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1921.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

W a Z W J 5. m g 4 W 1, W

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GLENN MORE, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BLAGKSTONE MANUFAC- TUBING- COMPANY, OF JAMES TOWN, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AGITA'IOR.

Application filed February 7, 1921.

agitators.

Agitators heretofore used in the tubs of washing machines have usually been made of wood, and comprise a relatively thick disc with depending prongs or fingers. The latter frequently become loose, and if the disc .is not relatively thick and heavy, it readily cracks and splits and becomes damaged. This thickness and heaviness is objectionable in an agitator for it occupies too much of the space in the wash tub.

The principal object of my invention, therefore, is to construct an agitator or dolly adapted for use intubs of washing machines and which 'willbe made of metal and so constructedas to occupy the minimum of space, combined with the maximum of efliciency, and which will be cheap to manufacture.

In that form of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side View of a portion of a washing machine, equipped with my improved agitato Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the agitator on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view of the agitator, taken in the plane of the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the shaft connecting member.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view showing the inside and the outside of the removable bearin blocks.

eferring now to the drawings, A represents a washing machine tub in which is Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr.'11, 1922.

Serial No. 443,214.

shaft operating mechanism indicated at C,

whereby the shaft B- is given a rotary, reclprocal motion about its vertical axis in the manner familiar to the trade, and which need not be further described in this application. To the lower end of this shaft- B is attached the agitator designated as a whole by the letter D. The agitator D comprises the dolly member E, as a whole, the collar member F as a whole, a pair of removable hearing blocks G, as a whole, and a shaft attaching member H.

The shaft attaching member H is of peculiar formation. At its upper end it is provided with a cylindrical portion 1, suitably recessed as indicated by dotted lines 2,

of Fi 6, to receive the lower end of the shaft to which it is attached or secured by the pin 3 or other suitable and convenient means. Below the cylindrical portion 1 is a Web 4 terminating in a circular or disc shaped head 5. Extending upwardly from the head 5 to near the upper end ofthe cyl indrical portion 1, are longitudinally arranged guide members 6, so that the member H appears to have diametrically opposite circular wings 6 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The dolly E is substantially square in outline, in the form illustrated, each side margin being concave and each side terminating in rounded corners. Centrally of the top 7 of the dolly E is a collar member F, comprising a circular cap shaped part or hood 8, provided with radial flanges 9, by which the collar member F may be secured to the dolly E by means of bolts 10. The top of the collar F is provided with an aperture which affords a shoulder 11 against which the shoulders 12 of the removable bearing blocks G will bear, when the bearing blocks are in proper position. The surfaces 12 and 11 are shown bearing against each other in Fig. 3, and are also indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The shape of this opening or aperture in the top of the collar F will conform to the exterior contour of the bearing blocks G, as will'be readily understood.

The interior contour of the bearing blocks G will be such as to afford a sliding bearing for the wing flanges 6, 6, and the cylindrical or barrel portion 1' of the shaft attaching member H. To this end, each of the bearing blocks G are provided interiorly with three longitudinally arranged concave surfaces 13. 14, the concave portion 13 being centrally arranged as shown in Fig. '7. At the bottom of each of the blocks, the outwardly directed flange 12 is suitably recessed, centrally, to provide oppositely facing shoulders i5. 15, adapted for engagement with shoulders 16, 16, on the interior ribs 17 with which the collar member F is provided. When the bearing blocks Gare placed within the collar F the contact of the shoulders l5, 15. with the shoulders 16, 16. prevents any lateral displacement of the parts. The radius on which the recesses 13, 13, are drawn, is such as to make the diameter of the opening formed. by the two recesses 13. 13, somewhat less than the diameter of the button or disc 5, thus ailording a shoulder or surface against which the upper part of the button 5 may engage, which will limit the relative movement between the member H and the member D in one direction. This shoulder is indicated in dotted lines at 18 in Fig. 5. I

The interior faces of the ribs 17 will bear against the exterior surfaces 19 of the flanges 12 of the bearing blocks G. The dolly E is provided with acentral aperture surrounded, above the top 7, with a pair of diametrically opposed semi-circular walls 20, the ends 21 of which bear against the shoulders 16, 16, of the ribs '17 of the collar F, as clearly shown in Fig. a. The two hearing blocks G rest upon the upper margin or edge of the walls 20, as clearly shown in Fig 3. Thus when the bearing blocks G have been placed about the member H and the two have been placed through the aperture in the collar F, being inserted from. the under side of the collar, and then these three parts placed over the dolly E, until the bearing blocks G rest upon the top of the two walls 20, 20, the proper position of the parts will be readily determined, because the walls 20, 20 will register in the properspaces hetween the ribs 17, 17. When thus positioned, these parts may be locked together by the bolts 10as shhwn, thereby connecting together the dolly E, the collar F, the blocks G and the shaft attaching member H, in such manner as to permit longitudinal movement of the parts E, F and G with respect to the part H.

Centrally of the dolly E and in continuation of the aperature partly surrounded by the walls 20. is a downwardly extending cup member 22 provided in its lower wall with apertures 23. Thus cup member 22 affords an interior space for the member H when relative motion in one direction occurs between the dolly E and the member H. The extreme position of these parts in one direction is indicated in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3 and the changed position is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

A. clothes engaging prong or finger 24 on the dolly E depends from each of the four corners and in the instance shown, each is made integral with the dolly. This is accomplished by forming the prong 24E into a hollow, tubular, somewhat conical shaped prong, slightly smaller at its lower end than at its top and suitably rounded so as not to tear the articles with which it may come in conact. It is provided at its lower end with an aperture 25. The edges of the dolly E are suitably rounded, as shown at 26.

In operation, a suitable mechanism imparts alternate rotary motion in opposite directions to the shaft B and consequently to the dolly E, which is connected thereto as stated, and causes the garments within the tub A to be enga ed by the prongs or fingers 24c and swung a ternately in one direction and then the other through the wash water, until the clothes are properly cleansed.

ln order that the clothes may not be torn by the rotary, reciprocating action of the dolly, when the former accumulate in a mass, provision has been made for relieving the strain by providing for the upward movement of the dolly E as a whole. This is accomplished by the mechanism which provides relative motion between the dolly E and the shaft holding member H, in the manner hereinbe fore stated, the dolly E falling down and hanging upon the button 5 by gravity as soon as the cause requiring its upward movement is removed,--such as a tangled mass of clothes.

In order that this relative motion between the parts may be the more readily accomplished, and in order to permit the proper circulation of the water in. the tub, I have provided that the fingers 24 shall be hollow and have the apertures 25 at their lower ends. I have also provided the apertures 23 for the passage of any water which may seep into the interior of the cup shaped recess 22 as will be the case, because the connecting member H does not have a close fit in the bearing blocks G. Without the apertures 23 there would he too much suction and water friction. With the apertures 23 there is a tendency to a piston action of the button 5 within the cup 2-2 which tends to force the water out of the latter through the opening 23 and tends to create proper circulation of the water in the tub.

it will be observed that the agitator above described is made entirely of metal, the parts are so shaped that they may be readily formed by stamping or casting, and therefore fabricated at the minimum of cost. it will also he noted that the shape of the various parts is such that they may readily put together by unskilled labor and therefore the cost of producing the device as a whole is very much reduced.

I claim as my invention:

.1. As a new article of manufacture, a metal agitator for washing machines and the like, comprising a substantially square shaped flat disc member having a dependtom, and means for attaching the agitator to an operating element. 4 a v 3. As a new article of manufacture, an all metal agitator for washing machines and the like, comprising a substantially square flat plate-having hollow, apertured depending fingers, one .in each corner, acentral depending cup open at its top, a cap member to cover said opening, bearing blocks within the cap member andan attaching member projecting through and having longitudinal movement with respect to said bearing blocks. i a

4. As a new articleof manufacture, an all metal agitator forrw'ashing machines and the like, comprising a substantially square flat late having hollow, apertured depending" ngers, one in each corner, a central depending cup open at its top andhaving an aperture through its bottom, a cap member to cover said open top, bearing blocks within the cap member and an attaching member projecting through and having longitudinal movement with respect to said bearing blocks.

5. As a newarticle ofmanufacture, an all metal agitator for washing machines and the like, comprising a substantially square flat plate having hollow, apertured depending fingers, one in each, corner, a central depending cup open at its top and having an aperturethrough its bottom, a removable cap member to cover 'said open top, bearing blocks Within the cap member and an attaching member projectlng through and havinglongitudinal movementwith respect to said bearing blocks;

6. An agitator forwashing machines and the like, com rising a substantially fiat' square plate aving a hollow apertured clothes engaging finger depending from each corner thereof and a central depending cup open at its top, combined with a cap member and means for removably securing same to the member being provided with an apertured top, a pair of bearing blocks partially filling said aperture and provided with laterally extending flanges to hold said blocks in said cap, and an attaching member partially withplate tocover said central opening, said cap in the cup and cap members and having longitudinal movement through the bearing blocks. v

7. An agitator for washing machines and the 1 like, comprising a substantially fiat square plate having a hollow apertured clothes engaging finger depending from each corner thereof and a central depending cup open at its top, combined with a cap member and means for removably securing same to the plate to cover said central open- 1 ing, said cap member-being provided with an apertured top, a pair of bearing blocks partially fillingsaid aperture andprovided with laterally extending flanges to hold said blocks in said cap, and an attaching member partially within the cup and cap members .andhavin'g longitudinal movement through the bearing blocks, and means on the attaching member to engage the inner faces of the said blocks to limit said movement in'one direction. I

, 8'. An agitator for'washin machines and the like, comrising a su% clothes engaging finger depending from each corner thereof and a central depending cup open at its top, combined with a cap member stantially flat square, plate aving a hollow aperturedand means for removably securing same t'o the plate to cover said central opening, said cap member being rovided with an apertured top, a pair of ally extending flanges to hold .said blocks in said cap, and an attaching member partially within the cup and cap members and having longitudinal movement through the bearing aring blocks partially. filling said aperture and provided with laterblocks, an annular, outwardly projecting flange or button on the lowerpend of the attaching member adapted to limit the longitudinal movement thereof in one direction, and means for securing said attaching member to an operating element.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

GLENN MORE. Witnesses Mrs. A. J. HAMMOND,

LARSEN. 

